Janessa

I have a friend that wants me to restore some chaps that her dad made for her when she was younger. The chaps are a light deerskin color and were put away damp and stored in a closet after wearing them while riding. They were stored there for some time and are now stiff and covered in spotty mildew stains. I have restored quit a bit of veg tanned leather, but haven't fiddled much with chrome tanned leather. What would you recommend I use to soften the leather again and try to get the stains out? Also, we discussed dying the chaps a darker color if we can't get the stains out; will chrome tanned leather accept dye? Thanks in advance.

My leatherwork is turning into more than just a hobby and I need to upgrade my machine asap. I've looked at new Cobra's and Cowboy's and I just can't justify the prices with my budget yet. I found a used (9 years old, but little use) Neel's Saddlery model 5-1 with a 1/2 HP Gemsey clutch motor for a good price that my budget is much more comfortable with, but I don't know that much about this machine and if it will be a reliable for what I need it for. My biggest worry about the machine is that it only has a 10" working area and I'd prefer a 16". I am currently working on 2 saddles, two rifle scabbards, some chinks, a breast collar, and a few miscellaneous items. The chinks will be the thinnest items I ever sew; most of the time I'll be sewing one or two thicknesses of skirting leather. My current machine is a Pfaff 545 with a clutch motor, which works ok for my needs, but not great (the belt and pulley set-up is way too fast, but it does have plenty of power). I haven't had the blessing of ever using a servo motor, so I don't know what I'm missing there. So, what do you experts think? Will this machine fit my needs and be reliable long into the future until I can afford a nice shiny new Cobra?